Paintball-gun barrel modifications that increase repeatability and accuracy

ABSTRACT

An improved paint gun barrel for use in conjunction with available paintball maker guns that fire thin-skinned ball with contents varying from paint to pepper compounds. This improved barrel assembly features three major improvements. The first uses of a non-floating bore bushing that is manufactured using precision and tight tolerances, which provide alignment and consistency. The second is the use of chamfers to center and align the firing path of the gun. These chamfers force said bore bushing against and center it to the breech face of the marker gun while aligning the firing path by centering the muzzle-end subassembly to said bushing. The thin-skinned ball is projected, by a force of gas, down a tightly fitted bushing. This bushing is held in suspension rigidly by the compression between the maker gun itself, and the subassembly members. This compression combined with the use of chamfers force a consistent, rigid and perfect alignment along the paintball&#39;s firing path. The third is a method of selecting the bore bushing for proper size and fit given factors of temperature, humidity and the paintballs available to the end user. The combination of these improvements increases the firing distance and accuracy while reducing the exposure to paintball ruptures within the system. Such a combination has not been achieved prior to this invention.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention is designed to be used on an off-the-shelf gas powered paintball gun. By using the barrel assembly, as described here within, it can increase the amount of successful markings during battle situations (such as game or tournament play, military training operations, or law enforcement activities). It does so by allowing the paintballs to be tightly grouped and shot with more accuracy. Such a combination, of consistency and accuracy provides a normal paintball gun with a substantial advantage over the others produced. The sport and games of paintball are played using pneumatic powered paintball guns that shoot biodegradable gelatin capsules called paintballs. These paintballs are specifically designed to break on impact and will thus leave a mark of washable water-soluble paint on the targets hit. Paintball as a recreational sport can be played all year round and inasmuch have become increasingly popular nationwide. Individuals or teams can play these games. Paintball in its most common form is played as a team sport where two opposing teams compete to “capture the flag.” This game is won when a member of one team captures the opposing team's flag without having been marked.

Paintball as an industry is marketed globally by Internet websites, which provide news, tournament listings, on-line games, and much more. Local gun shops, sporting good and dedicated paintball stores also provide information, sell equipment, host games, sponsor teams for tournament play, and generally support paintball as an industry. In all the excitement, paintball has become big business.

Paintball has become highly competitive, given its growth. The end goal of each player is to make as many markings as possible, and to those ends this invention will provide a competitive advantage since there will be more accuracy and a tighter grouping of the shots. Paintball is also used by law enforcement and the military for battle like situations that also require the most accurate sighting of shots Paintball contents in these applications can include (but are not limited to) pepper compounds, marking inks and the like. Though the ball contents are often not as paint like; the grouping and accuracy requirements are often more demanding.

DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART

Paintballs are contact sensitive due to the their purpose. Their skin material is made of gelatin, plastic, or other extremely thin materials in common use today. The contents can differ based on application, which can be military, law enforcement, or games. Guns and removable barrels and barrel assemblies have been around for a substantial period of time. Paintball guns also have been available for decades. However, these are also not the subjects of this invention.

The prior art on Paint ball gun barrels and removable inserts is captured in and most referenced by U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,427 (Gardner, Jr.). It provides the majority of the teachings related to paint ball gun barrel assemblies.

Standard paintball gun barrel designs include U.S. Pat. No. D353,853 Albritton which best covers the one-piece barrel that is today still typical of the majority of the barrels out in operation.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,173 (Slonaker et al) discusses the concept of backspin which controls the gas in a way as to create backspin. These teachings fill in the balance of what is considered the standard in the industry today.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,752 Havlock teaches of a reduced sleeve for bore bushing they call “a hollow cylindrical sleeve-like base” which in essence is a bore bushing in our discussion.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,195 (Perry et al) the inventor describes a choke that is installed into the outer barrel and held in suspension by multiple ‘O’-rings that allow the ball to align itself with the discharge path by use of a floating bushing. The alignment disclosed by that invention is done using a floating bore bushing that has a distance between the bushing and the breech face of the gun. In fact, there is a small gap between the breech face and said choke and is typical of all the prior work to date.

Lastly, the idea of a multistage barrel is not a new one. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,406 Dumont teaches of a barrel quickly removable in stages.

The combination of these existing patents reflects the state-of-the-art of the paintball industry; including their belief that paintball expansion due to temperature and humidity must be accommodated by use of replaceable barrels (chokes or bushings) with differing inner diameters. It is further outlined in Gardner, Jr. that chokes of various lengths and cross-sectional areas are necessary and describes them as having a inner bore larger than the paintball itself and that they should be no longer that four inches (4″) to maximize the balls velocity. Such has been the current industry standard.

This inventor believes that the bore bushing inner diameter should be sized such that the ball is gently forced through the bushing by the discharge of propellant and that the length that will provide the optimum acceleration, is roughly five inches (5″). The inventor suggests a method for selecting such a bushing diameter that is completely contrary to the prior art Further, by fitting the ball tightly within the bore bushing, ball rotation is eliminated. Such an effect has been corrected previously using the methods best described in Slonaker.

This invention takes advantage of precision alignment to allow the bushing to be fully against the breech face of the gun and uses no floating mechanisms of any kind. This invention is fully rigid with the gun itself and the inventor believes that this improves the accuracy and repeatability of the projectile motion far beyond the prior art.

Lastly, because the bore bushing is fully against the breech-face of the gun there is no gap to create or path to escape the propellant gas discharged to force the ball down the bushing. Inasmuch the bore bushing can be more restrictive and still allow the entire charge to propel the projectile. Elimination of this gap also reduces ball rupture and undesirable spin of the ball itself. The result is better distance and repeatability.

Better accuracy, fewer ball ruptures, more repeatability, and consistent results constitute a substantial advantage over other barrels made today.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Guns and removable barrels and barrel assemblies have been around for a substantial period of time. Paintball guns also have been available for decades. These are not the subject of this invention. The subject of this invention is an improved paintball gun barrel assembly. The object of which is to increase accuracy and repeatability of targeting. The invention provides target accuracy and repeatability by a combination of improvements in design, alignment and manufacturing process, which ensure the overall quality and accuracy of this barrel assembly. It includes extra thread to allow for potential differences from gun-to-gun; and an optional “O” rings to further seal the barrel openings and eliminating the need for a jam nut or locking device to maintain that compression.

This invention also includes methods for determining proper fit of the user-selected paintballs to one of multiple bore bushings that are included in the barrel assembly kit. Such sizing methodology improves distance and tightens tolerances associated with the projectile during the most crucial period of fire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The object and improvement of this invention is best understood from the wording of the detailed description when taken in context with the drawings supplied here within. These drawings are detailed to be informative and may not reflect the actual item, scale, or proportions. They are not intended to be the complete representation of the invention, and should not be interpreted in a way that limits the scope of the invention otherwise detailed in other parts of this document.

FIG. 1 Total Assembly (Gun and All)

FIG. 1 outlines the appearance of the barrel assembly as it is attached to the marker gun itself The result is a solid looking, dependable and usable paintball gun ready for game or tournament play, law enforcement use and/or military applications

FIG. 2 A Complete Barrel Assembly

FIG. 2 shows the final barrel assembly consisting of the muzzle-end subassembly [204], the breech-end subassembly [201,202 and 203], and the removable bore bushing [200].

FIG. 3 Paintball gun marker assembly with barrel attached

FIG. 3 shows an internal side view of a portion of a standard marker gun [305] and the attached barrel assembly [300,301,302,303, and 304]. This details the breech face and gives a better understanding of the distances and attachment mechanisms normally provided by the marker gun itself

FIG. 4 Muzzle-end installed on Breech-end subassembly

FIG. 4 shows in detail the alignment achieved by the full assembly including design detail on the compression applied of the bore bushing [405] and the alignment of the two subassemblies are attached(muzzle-end [401], and breech-end [404]). Included in the view are the two chamfers [402 and 403] discussed elsewhere in this document. Lastly, the view shows the optional “O”-ring [400] used to ensure barrel does not come loose while in use

FIG. 5 Breech-end installed on Paint Gun Marker

This last drawing, FIG. 5, provides detail of an attached breech-end subassembly [501] to an existing marker gun, along with cut away detail of how the bore bushing [502] compresses against the breech face [503] of the marker gun. View also shows the optional “O”-ring [500] used to ensure barrel does not come loose during use. It is important to note that normally these marker guns are manufactured so that the thread [501] is perfectly perpendicular to the breech face.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The accuracy of a paintball gun can be increased by improvements in the mounting of the removable barrel to the gun body itself. Such improvements are accomplished by the breech-end subassembly and its bushing physically contacting the marker gun breach face, thereby eliminating the gap between the bore bushing and the breech face itself. Such is shown best in FIG. 5 showing the contacting of this new barrel assembly to the breach [503]. In this invention as in most prior art a bore bushing [502] is used to resolve the disparity between the barrel size and the actual size of the ball used. This invention uses that bore bushing [502] forced against the breach face [503], which provides precise fit and alignment. In this diagram is it easier to realize the centering nature of the bore bushing given its larger diameter ring [502]. Perfect registration of the bore bushing is accomplished by this ring in combination with the precision of the breech-end subassembly [501] and the bushing itself [502]. The inventor makes optional an “O”-ring like device [500] that reduces the possibility that vibration may cause the barrel to become loose during use.

The barrel bore, of the prior art, is not held rigidly to the gun so there is a variance in the projectile path. By rigidly attaching the barrel [501] and bore bushing [502] (i.e. not free floating) there is less variation in the projectile path, hence increasing the predictability of the projectile. Since there is improved alignment and no gap at the breech face there is a substantial reduction in paintball ruptures. Lastly, because there is no gap between the bore inner diameter and the ball itself, the spin of said ball is reduced.

These improvements are a significant departure from the prior art in that all paintball guns in the prior use a floating barrel, have a gap between the breech face and the barrel assembly, and a greater distance between the inner bore and ball itself

The way this is accomplished is that a barrel assembly consists of three main components a bore bushing [200, 304, 405, and 502] a breech-end outer barrel [202, 302, 404, and 501], and a muzzle-end barrel [204, 300, and 401]. The bore bushing [200] as discussed above is placed inside the breech-end outer barrel [201] and that subassembly [FIG. 2] is then screwed into the paintball gun breech [FIG. 5]. Once attached the muzzle-end assembly [204] is then screwed into the breech-end subassembly and in the process forces the bore bushing [FIG. 4] rigidly against the breech face [FIG. 5].

This invention further includes optional “O-ring type devices [400, and 500] that improves the barrel's ability to withstand vibration that might cause the barrel to loosen during use. The invention further goes on to specify a method of selecting the bore bushing such that maximum performance can be achieved. Since the assembly is forced against the breech face [FIG. 5] there is a reduction of stray gas being discharged, and with the precise fit and improved alignment a reduction in ball ruptures will be realized. Inasmuch, a greater distance can be achieved when the bore bushing is properly sized. Said method is to insert the actual ball to be used into various inner diameter bore bushings until the ball does not move freely but can still pass through when the user pushes the ball through the bore bushing. The end result is that the ball will pass through the bore bushing with some restriction. This results in an increase to the range and accuracy of the ball shot. 

1. A paintball gun barrel whereby the inner bore diameter exists at the breech-end of the barrel, such that the inner bore is actually or substantially against the breech face of the marker gun, and is incorporated in such a way that said inner bore is rigidly held within the barrel itself.
 2. A paintball gun barrel according to claim # 1 incorporating a tight-fit inner bore diameter of a length of approximately 5 inches with the balance of the barrel at a greater inner diameter allowing the paintball to float on a cushion of air after reaching maximum velocity.
 3. An improved paintball gun barrel system comprising: A. a breech-end subassembly, comprising: i. a breech-end outer barrel 1) made of a highly-rigid material intended to maintain the alignment of the breech-end barrel subassembly to the marker itself with inner bore of said outer barrel is held to a precision that minimizes the play between it and the bore bushing, such that no lateral flexing shall occur; 2) with a manor of connecting the barrel system to the breach-end of the marker gun; and 3) with a manor of connecting the muzzle-end of said barrel subassembly to the muzzle-end subassembly, substantial enough to hold the total assembly rigid and true. ii. a bore bushing designed such that the bore bushing is inserted in the breech-end outer barrel from the breech end to then be forced against the breech of the marker itself, comprising: 1) an inner and outer diameter tube with precise diameters that allow the bushing improved registration throughout; 2) said bore bushing is held fully against the marker breech face by the compression on the bore bushing from the marker breech face and the muzzle-end subassembly; in a manner to maximize the propellant energy discharged at time of firing, and which reduces the possibility of ball rupture due to its precise fit and alignment; 3) a larger diameter step, at one end of the bore bushing, that keeps the bore bushing from sliding fully into the breech-end outer barrel, that allows the user to remove said bore bushing freely without the use of tools, is precisely sized as to assist in centering the bore bushing within the breach opening of the marker; and containing a specific size mark upon said step to permit easy size determination 4) a chamfer on the muzzle end of said bore bushing as to align the muzzle-end subassembly to the bore bushing and to the breech face by use of a two chamfer method; said chamfers exist on the bore bushing (muzzle end) and on the muzzle-end subassembly (breech end), said chamfers center and align with contact angles that can be similar or dissimilar. B. a muzzle-end subassembly, that comprising: i. a muzzle-end barrel 1) made of a material ridged enough to withstand abusive handling, similar to the breech-end outer barrel, and with a manor of connecting the muzzle-end barrel to the beach-end outer barrel; 2) with a bore diameter larger than that of the bore bushing to allow the ball already in motion to be unobstructed and floating on a cushion of air while traveling through the muzzle-end subassembly; and 3) with compressed gas outlet openings and hole patterns, which allow the gas to exit without disrupting the ball in travel.
 4. A paintball gun barrel as described in claim # 3 that provides capability of adjusting the fit of the bore bushing between the muzzle-end subassembly and the breech surface by varying the amount of engagement of the muzzle-end subassembly into the breech-end subassembly assuring a tight fit and alignment within the paintball gun inner bore such that the ball, upon firing, is not required to jump a gap between the gun bore and the bore bushing; and does so in a way that compensates for manufacturing tolerances commonly encountered during the manufacture of paintball guns; comprising: A. a bore bushing of adequate length as to make contact against the breech face and the muzzle-end subassembly; B. precise thread length on the gun barrel sufficient to force the assembly firmly up against the breech surface; and C. an optional “O” ring, so that the system is resistant to unintentional unthreading, and positioned so that the system is easily adjustable.
 5. A paintball gun barrel as described in the previous claims which can be optimized by use of a bore bushing of a proper inner dimension which can be selected for the size of the paintball intended for use, can be gently pushed through the bore bushing using either a pencil or the user's finger, and can be pushed through fairly easily yet with some resistance. 